Did You Know
A little money buys a lot of calories
Did you know that spending a dollar at the local corner store before or after school can add up to 360 extra calories a day? Researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA found that youth most often purchase chips, soft drinks, candy, and gum. Trade those chips in for a healthier snack!
So does ketchup count as a fruit?
One-third of the vegetable servings eaten by youth aged 13 to 18 are in the form of potato chips and french fries. The figure climbs to 40% among African-American students.
How green is your walk to school?
Less than 13 percent of U.S. students walked or biked to school in 2004, compared to more than 50 percent who did so in 1969. However, the greener the route to school--and the closer the school--the more likely youth are to use active transportation.
This gives a whole new meaning to happy meal…
People who are sad or unhappy are more likely to overeat unhealthy foods. People who are happy eat healthier foods.
I’m a member of the small plate club!
Fifty-four percent of American adults aim to finish everything on their plates. People eat more food off of large plates than they do off of small ones, but feel equally full. Use smaller plates!
Go green with local greens and reds, yellows, oranges, and purples!
Buy fresh and local. The average fruits and veggies on our dinner table travels 1,500 miles to get there. Buying locally produced food improves your environmental impact. You'll also get a colorful selection of produce from local farms.
Maybe I’ll cook dinner tonight!
Over seventy percent of what you eat is determined by the main cook in your family.
Just 12 teaspoons of sugar, please—I’m cutting back!
Health experts recommend eating no more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar each day. The average adult eats 22 teaspoons a day, and most teens consume 34 teaspoons a day!
Want to watch TV with me for a couple months?
The average American watches 4-5 hours of TV each day. That adds up to two months of non-stop TV watching per year. In the course of their life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube!
If only I could kayak to geometry class…
Time was the number one barrier to physical activity reported by female high school students. Making your school more active will make the healthy choice the easy choice!
How about an after-school fishing club?
The top three favorite outdoor activities of Americans are 1) Running/Jogging 2) Bicycling and 3) Fishing.
Need a brain boost? Reach for your running shoes!
Just thirty minutes of physical activity is a brain booster – improving memory, learning, and your mood!
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Steal These Ideas
Brainstorming as a school
Sometimes a group of 6 or 8 students can have hard time deciding how to make their school a healthier place. While surveys, interviews, and focus groups can all help, one school in Kansas decided to bring their whole student body together for two Students Taking Charge forums.
Seeing is believing
Are you getting a lot of resistance from your principal or school nutrition director? Does it seem like you're just not speaking their language? Or do they not understand what your changes will really look like? Find out how Northampton High School took their school leaders to visit another high school that has already put their ideas into action!